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Almost 8 months...

Hey LLLadies- this is my second baby. My first was a nursing nightmare and the second has been soooo much easier! However, she is small for her age- almost 8months (she is probably 15 lbs soaking wet!!) and nurses pretty well most of the time, but she is SO interested in solid food! I haven't really done purées or anything except when the nanny is here 2 days a week while I am at work. She gets pieces of cheese or some Cheerios, small pieces of fruits and veggies when we eat lunch or dinner but honestly not that much. I am getting worried that she would rather eat food than nurse. How many times should a baby this age be nursing? She still wakes up about twice overnight and nurses 4-6 times during the day. I am sick of worrying about nursing- that's all I did with my first and ended up going on Zoloft. Her wets are ok, she only poops twice a week, she is healthy and happy and already pulling herself up on furniture. I know she is growing (slowly but surely) and I'm okay with that-my first was small too- but I just need to know that I am on the right track. Dr isn't concerned... Just anxious mama.

Re: Almost 8 months...

Hi mama, glad to hear you are having an easier time with baby 2! Most breastfed babies will nurse at least 8 times in 24 hours, often more. So it sounds like baby is on the low end, between 6 and 8 times. There's no harm in offering more - if baby doesn't want to nurse, she won't. Offer the breast before offering solids to make sure she isn't filling up on solids rather than nursing, since at this point breastmilk is still the most nutritious (and calorie-dense) food for her. It sounds like you are basically doing baby-led solids, (ie, letting baby self-feed) which is perfectly fine! No need to do purees and in fact there are advantages to the BLS approach, which is also more breastfeeding-compatible in many ways. Pooping twice a week is also perfectly fine for an 8 month old. And waking up twice overnight also normal (in fact, many babies will wake up a lot more than that). It really sounds like you are doing great!

Re: Almost 8 months...

with the excellent advice from the PP. If you're concerned, offer to nurse a bit more. It's the healthiest and most calorie-dense food you can offer your baby at this point, and nursing more is great for supply.

Re: Almost 8 months...

Thanks- I have tried nursing more and she is just not into it. My son did something similar around the same age and I am just terrified of that happening again. I just wish I could relax and stop overthinking it. She is just SO into real food. She goes nuts when she even sees it. I don't give her solids unless she has nursed well within the past 30 min or so but I don't want to starve her! Her older bro is always hopping around while she is trying to nurse too- maybe I just need to be more patient.

Re: Almost 8 months...

8 months is a really distractible age. So many interesting things to do! And older siblings take the cake when it comes to distracting babies. So sometimes the best time to get good nursing sessions in is at night. What about trying a "dream feed" right before you go to bed? (If that is later than when baby goes to bed.) Babies will often nurse in their sleep without even completely waking up.

Re: Almost 8 months...

Originally Posted by @llli*yamahama29

Thanks- I have tried nursing more and she is just not into it. My son did something similar around the same age and I am just terrified of that happening again. I just wish I could relax and stop overthinking it. She is just SO into real food. She goes nuts when she even sees it. I don't give her solids unless she has nursed well within the past 30 min or so but I don't want to starve her! Her older bro is always hopping around while she is trying to nurse too- maybe I just need to be more patient.

You're not starving her! It sounds like you are taking all precautions to make sure she doesn't fill up on solids in spite of her interest. But you definitely aren't alone in the overthinking it part, I have had a really hard time with it, too. This is my first time nursing and having it be successful, my first was all formula and this time it's been all breast. However, my baby who is 9.5 months just had her weight check, and she was at the high end of normal. She eats maybe 20-50cals of solids per day, and she only feeds herself, like it sounds your baby does. Some days she can shovel it in, some days she eats a few cheerios and has no interest.

I have similar feelings, it's so hard for me to mentally make that connection that yes, even if she eats NO solids she is fine until at least 1yr old. But, after that weight check it really helped me to see that my milk really is enough for now.

Also, my baby has a similar nursing pattern to yours, about 5-6 times in her 12 hours awake time/day, and 2-4x per night. I think as long as she's happy, nursing, gaining, etc you should be all set...like PP said if she doesn't want to nurse more she won't. And it sounds like she's not stuffed full of solids so you can trust her to nurse as much as she needs or doesn't need. Again, easier said than done for those of us who tend to analyze a lot!

What happened with your son? Just curious because you said it didn't go well...my first experience was also a disaster.

Re: Almost 8 months...

karrieperry- To be honest, I don't remember everything that went on, but the anxiety I felt then comes back sometimes like it was just yesterday. He started out nursing ok- the LC from the hospital was awful and when she left we (LO and I) were both in tears. He had a shallow suck on one side so i had a nipple that hurt like no other- cracked and bleeding-- and no idea what to do with this baby who never wanted the nipple out of his mouth. I mean for the first maybe 4 months i sat on the couch ALL day. I peed while i was nursing, I made food and ate while I was nursing-- baby always had crumbs all over him because I couldn't put him down. Anyway, I was a mess because I had no idea babies were like that (the breastfeeding "class" we went to was pointless) and I was terrified to even leave the house. Anyway, at about 4 months old the kid would eat for about 2-5 minutes and just start wailing. I thought for sure he had to be hungry because previously he would nurse all day long. i would try and get him to eat more.. dr recommended supplementing... LC saw us and he transferred like 1.5 oz... but he was gaining alright-- although near the bottom of the charts. I was back at work two days a week and i pumped between 2-3 oz every 3-4 hours so that was also a confidence buster. I watched the clock too much and he would only nurse for literally minutes and then would cry. I would put him down or try to distract him and he would be "happy" (he was a pretty fussy baby) and we would do it all again for 2 minutes the next time he was hungry. it was very confusing and frustrating and he did not nap well and I think that I was just very overwhelmed and did not expect motherhood to be that hard. i dreaded daytime feedings. i never did end up supplementing because I was bound and determined to EBF. I just woke up every day hoping that it would change and it never did. He is still small(ish) and he still eats the same way-- a little bit and he is done and there is no convincing him otherwise. he won't even finish to get ice cream for dessert-- CRAZY. I think my experience was mostly my own fault for watching the clock and not getting the support that i needed. i did end up going on zoloft for PPD finally after about 8 months. my husband kept saying that i wasn't myself and i finally broke down and called my OB. I am still on zoloft and I will tell you it is like night and day! I am very happy and this new baby is wonderful and sweet and it is such a different experience this time around.

So glad your second time is better as well! My kids are small so I don't have the reassurance of the numbers but she is growing and is so happy and sweet. She is already pulling herself up at just 8 months! It is so funny to see this tiny little person standing! Thanks for the encouragement. It is nice to talk to others who have BTDT!!!